New blood test offers cancer diagnostic benefits

Early detection of cancer could be facilitated by a simple blood test developed by researchers in the UK.

Carried out at the University of Bradford and published in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Journal, the research has shown how blood testing can not only be used to diagnose cancer, but also to assess potential future risk of the disease.

The team took blood samples from various patients and assessed how effectively DNA damage to cells caused by ultraviolet light was able to heal when embedded in agar. The slower the recovery, the greater the chances of cancer.

Examining blood samples from patients with melanoma, colon cancer and lung cancer all gave the same outcomes, highlighting the potential of this method to detect some cancers earlier than ever, while also eliminating the need for some types of biopsy.

Dr Gerald Weissmann, editor-in-chief of the FASEB Journal, said: "A test like this – which is sophisticated in design and simple to perform – could make effective cancer screening available in places where traditional medical technology might not be available."

This follows the development of the first blood test to diagnose major depression in the US last month and highlights the growing potential utility of blood-based testing methods.